If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past three years, you know all about Taylor Swift. This Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter is bigger than ever at the moment, and there’s no place for her to go but up.

Her recently released third album, Speak Now, sold over a million copies in its first week. Young girls pack stadiums to catch a glimpse of her on stage. Apart from her musical success, Swift’s been making headlines because of the new man in her life, Jake Gyllenhaal; the couple recently spent Thanksgiving together in Nashville.

Taylor Swift has the talent, an enviable romance, a long list of awards to her name, and a unique sense of style that we’ve all been following obsessively. Her long, wavy blonde locks, siren red lips, and well-known cat-eye goes perfectly with her extremely girlish and feminine aesthetic. Her style has recently turned more refined, and it’s put her on countless best dressed lists.Although the young Swift is known for her love of all things glittery and shiny, this soon-to-be 21-year-old isn’t a little girl anymore, so don’t expect to always see her in frilly lavender frocks or pink paisley dresses. At the most recent AMA awards, Taylor showcased super straight hair and blunt bangs (right), bringing forth her edgier, more grown-up side. Her colorful and girlish dresses were nowhere to be seen; instead, she chose to go with a more body-conscious dress covered in light-reflecting gems that was more Studio 54 than bedazzler-gone-bad.

On casual days out with friends, Taylor still stays true to the girly girl that lives inside her, busting out the frilly skirts, sweetheart dresses, and elegant floral patterns. Sometimes she can go a little kitschy in boyish brogues, knee high socks, and a thick leather belt around her waist. Even her most simple of outfits stays chic and on-trend: she breaks up an all-black ensemble with a bold flash of stripes. There’s no denying that Taylor Swift turns heads wherever she goes.

Though the superstar now often chooses to wear something a little more chic and sexy than we’re used to seeing from her, beneath the shorter length and higher slits is the same happy-go-lucky girl that first won the hearts of young fans all over the world. She may look sexier today, but she’s as youthful as ever at heart, and that’s exactly why she’s held on to her success while growing older in the public eye.
Images courtesy of JustJared and The Fashion Spot forums